St. Paul daily globe., 1887-07-16
"BLOOD BROTHERHOOD"
How Bishop Taylor Met One of
the African Kings.
His Blood Mingled With That of
the Black King.

ICSS. WILLIE tilO liitNAAOi VI
Africa, thus describes Bishop TaylOr's
recent meeting with the king of the
Mambalungo tribe:
The bishop had tramped for two days
through the wilderness without adven-
ture of serious nature. About O'Clock
III the morning of the third day he was
met by two natives bearing spears.
They stopped the party for moment and
cOnverSed with the carriers in the Afrl-
can tongue. Then they set off i'll ad-
vance of the party at high rate OF
speed. The bishop inquired the mean
ing of this maneuver and ascertained
that the men were picketS who had gone
back to apprise the king of the bishops
approach.
In about half an hour the king came.
He was attended by bOdy-guard OF 100
soldiers armed for combat. The intro
ductiOn was unceremOniouS. because the
two men could not speak common Ian
guage. The bishop relieved the situa-
ton of any awkwardnesS by stepping
forward quickly and extending his hand
to royalty. saying as he did so. II am
glad to meet YOU" The king received
the prOffered hand with dignity and
when the bishops words had been trans
lated to him he responded:
Il have heard OF the old white man.
well digger, long walker, who speaks
kind words. What would the old white
man do in Mambalungo?
Il ain on my way" explained the
bishop. Ito Malange. where friends Will
follow me and stay"
"YOu are welcome to MumbalungO,"
continued the king. 'Why not stay
here with us rather than journey on to
Malange?'
Il have many places to visit, o, king,
but my friends who will follow me will
visit you. You are now at war: when
there is peace again you may see much
of u.s.
The answer was well understood by
the African. but he made no objection.
In a moment he continued: Tell me
what it is that the old white man. well
digger, long walker and his friends
would do in this land?'
I'VE come to live among you. to bring
you peace and tell you of many good
things"
The king was impressed deeply with
the idea that the bishop and his friends
had come to stay and to work for them
selves upon the soil instead of trading.
As he talked with the biShOp,he grew to
like the old white man. more and more,
and at last he said: I'VE have heard
make war upon us. They lie between
here and Malange. You will not ven
ture to continue your journey before we
have defeated them and brought about
peace?"
"Yes, o king" replied the bishop. 81
shall go OH as soon as l can. am
friend to the people of Mambalungo and
their king but | am also friend to the
Kumbuans and their king likewise.
There is no danger for me from them
any more than there is danger from
you. There is One above me to guard
and protect me-"
1.-The white mans God is indeed very
powerful" assented the king gravely,
land the white man speaks bravely and
frankly. None other would permit to
pass from our town to the army of the
KumbuanS. l believe you are my
friend, and l will show you that L am
yours
He thereupOn summoned his chief
lieutenant. and after brief talk with
him sat down on the floor of the hut and
beckOned the bishop to sit beside him.
The lieutenant then did some talking,
the purpOrt of which was that the king
desired to cement the friendship he had
formed for the white man by having the
ceremony of blood brotherhood per-
formed upon them. The bishop con-
sented, although he knew little of the
ceremony. The lieutenant produced
sharp-pointed knife, highly polished,
which he touched upon his tongue,
whether to test its sharpness, after the
manner of BARRIERS, or to give proof
that it was not poisoned. the bishop
could not be certain. Then. standing
up before the king and the bishop, he
made all impressive address, which the
bishop learned later was about the re-
lations that ought to maintain between
brothers. Then he knelt by the king,
who raised his robes slightly SO as to
disclose his leg bare to the knee. The
lieutenant pricked the calf with the
point of his knife, so that few drops
of blood ran. He caught them in his
left hand and turned to the bishop,
who, comprehendIng the situation,
rolled his trousers part way up his
legs. The lieutenant made similar
incision upon the bishops calf and
caught the dropping blood in the same
hand that held the kings blood. Then
he stood up again and rubbed the palms
of his hands together, so that the blood
was thoroughly mixed, after which he
spatted both hands violently upon the
ground. rubbing off all traces of the
blood with dust, saying as he did so:
Let a dragon spring forth from the
mingled blood upon the ground and de-
stroy him who shall first break the ties
of brotherhood here formed"
The king arose, reached out his hand
to the bishop, who extended his own
hand. and they shook sOlemnly, and
the ceremony was over.